<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Helvetica;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I’m not sure my comments will be helpful; we left when our children were younger, having declined to place them in the care of others when we went to Guatemala, but finding that we could not keep them healthy in the village – parasites. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I came to the order a bit disillusioned with the institutional church (as many of us were), having seen the Methodist system for ‘fast-tracking’ and how those who weren’t fast tracked were told that it was ‘God’s will’ for them to be placed in smaller, poor paying churches. Once I spoke with JWM about staying in the Order; his response stayed with me. “There are two ways to live, in the order and out of the order. The only thing you have to do in the order is obey God. The only thing you have to do out of the order is obey God. Obey God.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I found that releasing at the time; Carol and I benefitted from the methods and processes we learned, and employed them (with variations) in our work after leaving the Institute. We still use them. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I found your comments absolutely valid and correct. I also grieve the abuse, the trauma and the loss that those decisions entailed. And I’ve found most organizations – sadly – have those dynamics in them as well. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I appreciate your journey of care – and your transforming your own trauma and pain into insight and support for others. If we can be helpful in this journey, we are here.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>FWIW<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bill Schlesinger<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(915) 490-6148<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> OE <oe-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Marsha Hahn via OE<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 30, 2025 8:46 AM<br><b>To:</b> Order Ecumenical Community <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net><br><b>Cc:</b> Marsha Hahn <mhahn013@sbcglobal.net><br><b>Subject:</b> [Oe List ...] Adding to the conversation<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div id=ydpdad8055cyiv5473026648><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>For several months, I have been doing some writing, the intention of which was to spur some self-critical reflection about the Order. I had been thinking I might send it to the archives, but the last couple of days, as David, Shelley, and others have raised challenging but important topics, made me decide to go ahead and share it in this forum. If memory serves, one of the original purposes of this listserv was to create a space for inter-generational dialogue. There hasn't been a lot of that, but here we are.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'> It's a little too long to include in the body of an email, so I'm attaching a PDF.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Hoping it's a helpful contribution to this conversation. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>In love and respect,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif'>Marsha<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>
<br>
<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-size:13px">CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE TO RECIPIENT: This transmission may contain confidential information belonging to the sender that is legally privileged and proprietary and may be subject to protection under the law, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are prohibited from sharing, copying, or otherwise using or disclosing its contents. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete this e-mail and any attachments without reading, forwarding or saving them. Thank you</span></font>